Drowned City

Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Written and Illustrated by Don Brown
Lexile:  GN920
Genre:  Informational, Graphic Novel
Award:  Orbis Pictus Award

This is the first graphic novel to ever win the Orbis Pictus Award.  In this book, Don Brown describes the horror that descended upon New Orleans in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck.  Through vivid images and text, he tells the story of those who remained behind in the city and what happened in the aftermath when there wasn't enough food, shelter, or emergency help to go around.

March Book Two

by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
Lexile:  850
Genre:  Memoir/Graphic Novel

John Lewis continues his memoir about his role in the Civil Rights Movement in March, Book Two. The story picks up with John's involvement with the nonviolence movement through peaceful sit-ins and freedom bus rides.  John and his fellow protestors are repeatedly attacked, punished, and jailed, but they refuse to post bond and pay their fees.  They remain determined in their quest for equal rights.

March Book One

by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Memoir/Graphic Novel

Growing up, John Lewis loved chickens and wanted to become a pastor.  He lived in the South and grew up experiencing the injustices in society between whites and blacks.  His uncle took him on a trip to the North where is eyes were opened even further to the different ways in which people were treated. He met Martin Luther King, Jr. and started to learn about nonviolent methods.  He became involved with the Civl Rights Movement because he wanted his voice to be heard and he wanted to become part of the movement to bring about change.

Laika

by Nick Abadzis
Lexile:  370
Genre:  Historical Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Laika is set to make history.  Russia has begun the race to get a man on the moon and they are anxious to beat the United States.  Their manned space flight program begins with training dogs to withstand the forces of space flight.  Laika ends up as a new recruit in the space program.  She has no idea what the rest of her short life is going to be like.

A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeline L'Engle, adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Science Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Meg and Charles Wallace want to find their father.  He disappeared while doing some top secret government work and no one has seen him since.  One night, some strange visitors appear and say that they can help the children in their quest.  They introduce the idea of time travel through something called a tesseract.  If they are able to figure out how to  time travel, they might be able to save their father from the dark force that is holding him captive.

Shackleton's Antarctic Odyssey

by Nick Bertozzi
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Biography (Graphic Novel)

Ernest Shackleton had a dream:  to lead a successful expedition to the South Pole.  In the early 1900s this was considered to be an almost impossible task, but he was a determined dreamer and did whatever it took to scrape together the financing and support to get a crew to the South Pole.  His final expedition was filled with set back after set back, but miraculously he returned with his entire crew.

Peanut

by Ayun Halliday
Lexile:  470
Genre:  Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Sadie is starting over at a new high school.  She decides this is the perfect time to reinvent herself and decides to do that by pretending that she has a peanut allergy.  What she doesn't think about is how hard it is going to be to keep all of her lies straight as she gets to know more people at her new school.  Will her new friends stick with her when the truth comes out?

Sisters

by Raina Telgemeier
Lexile:  320
Genre:  Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Raina has always wanted a sister, but once Amara arrives, life is not as perfect as she had imagined. And things really change when three years later, brother Will joins the mix!  The story of Raina's childhood unfolds as the family embarks on a cross country car trip to attend a family reunion. Raina's mother thinks this trip will be a great time for some good old fashioned family bonding time. But as you might expect, things don't necessarily go as planned.

Anya's Ghost

by Vera Brosgol
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy (Graphic Novel)

Anya is having trouble adjusting to life in an American high school.  Things look up for a bit when she meets a mysterious ghost on the way home from school.  At first the ghost seems friendly and helpful, but as time goes on, Anya begins to see another side of her, a dark and evil side.  Anya begins to question the version of the story the ghost told her about how she died.  With a little help from a real friend and some research, Anya quickly realizes she needs to put this ghost to rest for good.

Cardboard

by Doug Ten Napel
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy (Graphic Novel)

Cam's dad is flat broke.  He can't find a job and has only a few cents to spend on his son's birthday present.  Cam is a good kid and his dad wants to get him something special.  He stops at a roadside stand and the only thing he can afford is a cardboard box.  The seller assures Cam's dad that this is no ordinary cardboard.  In fact, it comes with two very simple rules:  1)  You must return every scrap you don't use and 2) You must not ask for more. Cam and his dad work together to make something special - and to their surprise, their cardboard man comes to life!  How is this possible?

The 9/11 Report - A Graphic Adaptation

By Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon (based on the final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States)
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Informational (Graphic Novel)

September 11, 2001 is a day that will never be forgotten.  Questions that quickly arose:  how did this happen?  How could the United States be so unprepared?  How can we avoid such a tragedy from happening again?  Ten Commissioners were tasked with finding the answers.  This is their report.

Victory (Resistance Book 3)

by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Historical Fiction (Graphic Novel)

World War II is finally coming to an end, but Sylvie, Paul, and Marie are still missing their father and working undercover with the Resistance is getting more dangerous every day.  But they refuse to give up until the war ends and their family is all together again.

Defiance (Resistance, Book 2)

by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Historical Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Paul and his sisters are continuing to work behind the scenes of the French resistance.  There father is still a prisoner of war and Marie wants desperately for someone to find him and help him escape.  Paul knows that is unlikely so instead focuses his efforts on helping the Marquis, a group of French resistance workers hiding in the woods.  One of their leaders asks Paul's older sister, Slyvie, to go out on dates with the German soldiers to get information for them.  She's not sure she's willing to take the risk.  It's up to Paul to convince her that this is a way that they can help fight back during this terrible time in their lives.

Resistance (Book 1)

by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
Lexile:???
Genre:  Historical Fiction (Graphic Novel)

World War II has moved into France, but life hasn't changed much for Paul.  But one day when his friend Henri's parents disappear, Paul is forced to start thinking about the war and what it is doing to his country.  Henri is Jewish and Paul realizes that it will be up to him to help Henri survive.  Paul knows there is a group of people known as the Resistance working behind the scenes to protest what is happening.  Will he have the courage to join in and fight for the things he believes in?

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Callie loves the theater, but her prospects of becoming a leading lady are slim to none so she gets involved with the drama department's stage crew, and has the time of her life!  As with any middle school theater production, there is lots to learn and plenty of DRAMA.  But Callie works her way through it all in hopes that the show will be a success.

Smile

by Raina Telgemeier
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Realistic Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Raina just wants to be a "normal" middle schooler.  But early in her career in her 6th grade year, she falls and knocks out her two front teeth.  For the next 3 years, she tells the story of her middle school years and her quest to gain back her perfect smile.  Through braces, retainers, and a lot of humor, Raina makes it to high school, where she can finally, at long last, SMILE again!

Bad Island

by Doug TenNapel
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Fantasy (Graphic Novel)

Reese does not want to go on vacation with his lame family, but his father is insisting.  They have plans to go on a boating trip, but suddenly they find themselves shipwrecked on the middle of a very strange island.  They will only survive this "vacation" if they work together.

Anne Frank

(The Anne Frank House authorized graphic biography)
by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon
Lexile:  800
Genre:  Graphic Novel/Biography

This book is the first authorized graphic novel adaptation of the biography of Anne Frank.  The book covers the early lives of Anne's parents, Edith and Otto Frank, her childhood prior to WWII and her life inside the Secret Annex.

Sundiata: A Legend of Africa

Retold by Will Eisner
Lexile: ???
Genre: Traditional Literature/Graphic Novel

This is the story of Sundiata, a young Mali prince, who led an army to defeat the evil King Sumanguru who had for many years reigned over the country of Mali.

Rapunzel's Revenge

by Shannon and Dean Hale
Lexile: ???
Genre: Traditional Literature (Graphic Novel)

Rapunzel's Revenge is based on the fairy tale character of Rapunzel. But in this version, Rapunzel does not let her hair down and wait for the prince to rescue her. Instead, she sets off to seek revenge on the cruel woman, Mother Gothel, who stole her form her real mother and has kept her as a prisoner for so many years. Rapunzel has but one goal: rescue her mother from her terrible live in the mines and return happiness to all who have lived in the shadow of evil for so long.